PROJECT PINK!

Adult, Norma Ackison (1931-1991)

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. That's a startling statistic. While a startling statistic the Douglas and Ackison families know just what breast cancer is capable of. In 1989 Norma Ackison of Ironton, Ohio was diagnosed with breast cancer. Three years later, on October 12, 1991, Norma lost her battle.

Norma left a legacy behind that her grandchildren have worked to fulfill for the past fifteen years. Norma was born the twelfth of twelve children in 1932, and her father died, leaving her mother, to raise the kids in Depression Era Appalachia. Emily's grandma learned the humiliation & challenges of poverty. After finishing school Norma married Odell Ackison and as owners of a business helped families in need.

After her grandmas passing Emily Douglas began to see that the stories of her grandmas childhood were not fairytale. Emily knew that the lessons her grandma had taught her and the stories she had shared COULD NOT be silenced by cancer. Thus, in her grandmas memory, Emily Douglas started Grandmas Gifts (GG) in 1993 at the age of eleven to help Appalachian families and children and educate kids about service.

Since 1993, GG has donated over $12M in goods and opportunities to Appalachia. GG has also reached out to MILLIONS of kids to teach them about why it's awesome to volunteer. GG is run completely by volunteer youth so 100% of donations go to the cause! Supporters live all over the world and the organization has been rewarded by Presidents and even featured on Oprah! In conjunction with Denim Day, Grandma's Gifts is proud to honor the memory of Norma Ackison (Oct 6, 1931- Oct 12, 1991) with PROJECT PINK! on her birthday, October 6th.

Volunteer Project Manager Morgan Webb says, "While the idea of this project started in honor of Emily's grandmother, it is really much more than that. Many of Norma's siblings died from cancer as well as Emily's other grandmother, Betty Douglas." Founder Emily Douglas added, "Morgan, Konstantin Berger, and Peggy Green (previous serious Grandma's Gifts volunteers) have all lost family members to cancer. Appalachia shows some of the highest cancer rates in the country and the Center for Disease Control notes that Kentucky and West Virginia have the first and second highest percentages of cancer related deaths in the country. We want to remember all of those individuals as well as all of the families touched by cancer." "Supporting cancer research is our way of honoring those who have in any way been touched by cancer," added Konstatin Berger. "I think it's great that Grandma's Gifts is willing to work with other nonprofits is this way, to change the world."